Dumfries Museum

Dumfries Museum and Camera Obscura

Exterior view of the Camera Obscura

General information
Architectural style| Victorian and modern
Town or city| Dumfries
Country| Scotland
Coordinates| 55°03′55″N 3°36′53″W﻿ / ﻿55.0652°N 3.6146°W﻿ / 55.0652; -3.6146
Renovated| 2011

Dumfries Museum and Camera Obscura, located in Dumfries in Dumfries & Galloway, is the largest museum in the region. The museum has extensive collections relating to local and history from the pre-historic era. The museum also has the world's oldest working camera obscura. Admission is free, though a small fee applies for the camera obscura.

## Collections

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The museum's collections cover all material relating to the natural history and human pre-history of the region, from geology to dress, folk material, archaeology and early photographs.[1]

Notable artefacts include:

* A cast of the skull of Robert the Bruce as well as femur and foot bones.[2]
* A Bronze Age cist burial including the remains of a 35-year-old man from the beaker people.[3]
* A large collection of Roman and Celtic stone crosses and funerary monuments.[4][5]
* A replica of the first bicycle, as designed by Kirkpatrick Macmillan.[6]
* The photographic archive of Dr Werner Kissling.[7]
* Personal items belonging to Thomas Carlyle[8]
* Fossil reptile tracks from the local Permian sandstone including Corncockle Quarry.[9]

## History

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Originally built as a four-storey windmill on Corbelly hill, the highest point in Maxwelltown, in 1798, the site was purchased by Dumfries and Maxwellton Astronomical Society in 1834.[10] Over a two-year period the tower was converted into an Observatory,[11] and with advice from polar explorer Sir John Ross, a telescope was purchased from a Mr Morton of Kilmarnock. With its completion in 1836, unfortunately the observatory missed the arrival of Halley's Comet; however, it was used in this role until 1872.

The main hall of the museum was built in 1862, and housed the collections of the newly founded Dumfries and Galloway Natural History & Antiquarian Society. In 1981 a major addition of a new gallery, shop, search room and offices for curatorial staff was added. In 2011 the exterior of the windmill tower was refurbished.[12]

## Camera Obscura

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The camera obscura is currently the oldest working example in the world, and has been in continuous operation since 1836.[13] The instrument, based in the top level of the windmill tower, offers a complete 360° panorama of the surrounding landscape. The image is projected onto a focusing table below, and operated using a simple rope mechanism.[14] In order to protect the instrument it is only operated during the summer months and on days when weather conditions are clear.[15] The museums photographic expert for thirty years was Werner Kissling who donated his photos to the museum when he died.[16]

## References

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The focus table of the camera obscura with an image of part of Dumfries projected onto it

1. ^ "Dumfries Museum & Camera Obscura".
2. ^ "Robert the Bruce, cast of his skull".
3. ^ "Cist burial, Mainsriddle, Colvend and Southwick".
4. ^ "Ritual and religion".
5. ^ "Early Christians".
6. ^ "Replica of Kirkpatrick Macmillan's bicycle".
7. ^ "Dr Werner Kissling".
8. ^ "Thomas Carlyle".
9. ^ Jardine, Sir William (1853). The Ichnology of Annandale or Illustrations of Footmarks Impressed on the New Red Sandstone of Corncockle Muir.
10. ^ "I like – Happy to be a part of the industry of human happiness".
11. ^ "History of the Burgh of Dumfries".
12. ^ "Dumfries Museum & Camera Obscura Feature Page on Undiscovered Scotland".
13. ^ "Dumfries Museum and Camera Obscura, Dumfries – Museums".
14. ^ "I like – Happy to be a part of the industry of human happiness".
15. ^ "Dumfries Museum - DG Culture | Dumfries and Galloway Culture | Museums and galleries - Dumfries and Galloway Council | Festivals | Events | Exhibitions | Whats on Dumfries and Galloway".
16. ^ "Dr Werner Kissling". www.futuremuseum.co.uk. Retrieved 22 November 2022.

## External links

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* Official website
* Dumfries Museum on Future Museum

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